Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), responsible for providing infrastructure and services in the Greater Bangalore Metropolitan area, bulldozed 1,512 homes (comprised of 42 blocks), and evicted over 5,000 slum dwellers living in tin sheds in the economically weaker section (EWS) quarters in Koramangala (near Ejipura), Bangalore, from 18-21 January, 2013. The four-day demolition drive a^ected around 1,200 women and 2,000 children, and rendered thousands homeless. It was the largest eviction the city of Bangalore has witnessed in recent years.

Given reports of alleged violations of the human rights of the residents of Koramangala (Ejipura), People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL – Karnataka) and Housing and Land Rights Network (HLRN – Delhi) decided to undertake a two-day fact-finding visit (21–22 February 2013) to investigate the incidence of forced eviction in Koramangala (Ejipura) and its aftermath. The aim of the mission was to:
a) Ascertain if any human rights violations occurred before, during and after the eviction, particularly of women and children;

On March 2, 2012, Bangalore witnessed riotous scenes of confrontation between a large number of advocates and a section of the media which took place in the presence of the police in the Civil Court premises in the city. This was followed by a brutal lathi charge by the police on the lawyers present in the court in which over 100 lawyers were reportedly injured. This unprecedented event has produced consternation in the minds of many people regarding the workings of two vital institutions of democracy in the country, namely the lawyer community and the media, as well as the role of the police in such conflict situations. Accordingly, two human rights organizations, People’s Union for Civil Liberties (Karnataka) and People’s Democratic Forum decided to conduct a fact-finding investigation into the incidents that took place in the City Civil Court Complex on March 2, 2012.

PUCL, Bangalore strongly condemns the two encounter killings by police in Bangalore, reported on the front page of The Hindu on 19th December 2010.

Guarantees of individual fundamental rights form the backbone in functioning of any democracy and the role of police is to ensure preservation of the same. We, as a nation , run great risks when our police become empowered to take issues of law and justice in their own hands , including ‘right to kill’ those alleged to be threats to society. PUCL Bangalore is further deeply distressed at the media portrayal of these particular events especially the seeming condoning of excessive power by the police leading to the two deaths of suspected criminals. It should be noted that even if the suspects had committed the offences of which they were accused, it does not justify killing them in cold blood.

The only justification in this context for killing by the officials by the state would be self defence. The claim of self defence cannot be a self evident justification but must be judicially investigated. The NHRC guidelines on encounter deaths clearly mandate that in any case of so called ‘encounter’, an FIR must be registered against those who caused the death. The judicial process is then set into motion and the judiciary must test the claim of ‘self defence’ and come to the conclusion that the killing was either murder or was act of killing which was done in self defence.

The highest authorities of the police are responsible for the actions of the force under them and cannot justify any civilian deaths by their officers due to suspected culpability.

Presumption of innocence till proved guilty is an ideal demanding respect of all especially our police force. Further, responsible media is required to portray incidences of human rights violation as equally serious even if the victims are offenders against the law.

PUCL, Bangalore demands a registration of an FIR against those who have perpetrated the encounter and also the institution of an immediate enquiry into these encounter killings.

We hope to be kept informed about future actions taken by the police dept. in this matter.